1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a door incorporated into a vehicle glove box assembly. More specifically, the present invention discloses a two-piece vibrationally welded door associated with a glove box and which includes variations in rib structure associated with the inner panel, and in order to vary the deformation characteristics of the door proximate to both hand and knee hit zones associated with the passenger side of the vehicle.
In particular, the glove box door construction seeks to provide controlled deformation in response to contact by the passenger's knees, indicative of a collision. The reconfiguration and/or removal of ribs in outer side areas of the door facilitates easier “collapse” of the door in response to the passenger's hands contacting the same, this preventing the condition of arm “lock up” whereby a force spike is transferred from the passenger's arms to his or her chest area during a collision.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art is well documented with examples of passenger restraint structures, including both those incorporated into a vehicle instrument panel/dashboard assembly, as well as its installed glove box. One objective in the design and construction of the vehicle dash and associated glove box is to facilitate deformation in response to an experienced forward impact, and in order to minimize as well as equalize the forces transferred to the vehicle's front seat passenger.
One example of a passenger restraint structure for an automotive vehicle is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,442, issued to Tomita, and which teaches a glove box attached to a vehicle instrument panel so as to be opposed to the knees of the passenger. The glove box incorporates an intermediate wall connecting front and rear walls associated with the glove box. A stiffener member is located between the glove box and a part of the vehicle body and is stiffer than the glove box for crash energy generated between the passenger and the vehicle body in the running direction of the vehicle. Upon impact, the weaker intermediate wall of the glove box is compressed, deformed and broken, thereby absorbing the crash energy.
A further example selected from the prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 6,783,156, issued to Chickmenahalli et al., and which teaches a passenger restraint including a knee bolster having receptacles for receiving knee blockers. The knee blockers further include multi-celled elements which absorb kinetic energy attributed to a forward impact/collision experienced by the vehicle.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0124623, to Yamazaki, teaches an occupant protection apparatus having a panel constituting a portion of a passenger compartment side surface of an instrument panel, and in order to move when at least a knee load of an occupant is inputted. A plurality of support members face transverse end portions of the panel and, respectively, and exhibit a rigidity higher than that of the panel and in order to absorb an impact load applied to the knees of an occupant who faces the instrument panel.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,326,130, issued to Gedeon et al., teaches a vehicle instrument panel structure extending transversely across a width of the vehicle interior forwardly of a vehicle occupant seat. The instrument panel structure includes an upstanding backing plate having a layer of foam material thereon covered by a decorative fascia. The backing plate is a unitary member formed of a plastic material. A pair of spaced apart elongated and horizontally extending box-like protuberances are provided on one portion of the lower section of the backing plate in the path of the occupant knee travel, and which may occur during sudden deceleration of the vehicle.